According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), many African countries are beginning to see the enormous potential of a thriving digital economy in terms of opening up new markets, boosting productivity, aiding in long-term economic growth, and radically altering people’s daily lives.
At the 11th African School on Internet Governance, AfriSIG, held in Abuja on Thursday, Mistura Aruna, NCC’s Head, Corporate Services in the Universal Service Provision Fund, made this announcement.
The “African Union’s Data Policy Framework” is the focus of this year’s conference.
This year’s discussion has largely centered on the potential effects of the African Union’s (AU) Data Policy Framework on the provision of Internet services.
Aruna continued by saying that data in any form—whether it be information, statistics, figures, or anything else—is at the center of the unprecedented digital change taking place on a worldwide scale.
According to her, the term “datafication” has been coined to characterize the widespread use of data-driven technologies that have turned nearly every facet of modern life and labor into a stream of data that can be recorded, analyzed, and monetized.
She elaborated that the African Union’s adoption of the Digital Transformation Strategy (DTS) in 2020 forms the basis for the data policy framework, with the goal of empowering the continent and its member states to leverage digital technologies for local innovation to enhance citizens’ access to resources, mitigate poverty and inequality, and speed up the distribution of goods and services.
“The AU Data Policy Framework represents a significant step toward creating a consolidated data environment and harmonized digital data governance systems to enable the free and secure flow of data across the continent while safeguarding human rights, upholding security, and ensuring equitable access and sharing of benefits,” she said.
To help African nations build their national data infrastructure and skills to use and derive value from data, this framework lays forth a shared vision, guiding principles, strategic priorities, and critical recommendations.
“It is worthy to keep in mind that the domestication of the framework by African countries and the implementation of its key recommendations will position Africa as a strong partner and will enable African youth to participate in and thrive in the global digital economy and society.”
She said she hoped the school’s final recommendations will be heard by decision-makers.
She claims that the Commission is still dedicated to a broad stakeholder engagement approach that will result in the construction of reliable infrastructure and the universal availability, accessibility, and affordability of the Internet.
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